Article about: Hello everyone. This Junkers was purchased in 1929 as the first aircraft for Eyre Peninsula Airways, and was named " Mount Wedge". AFC pilot Albert Packer started this airways. It

First Junkers in Australia 1929 flown by AFC pilot albert packer

Hello everyone. This Junkers was purchased in 1929 as the first aircraft for Eyre Peninsula Airways, and was named " Mount Wedge".
AFC pilot Albert Packer started this airways. It is a long story, so here is a part of it.
Bert (Albert) contacted Major Berryman in Melbourne who was the agent for the Junkers in Australia. At that time, they were not allowed to purchase anything from Germany so they had to have the Junkers transported by road up to Sweden. It was shipped from there to Melbourne where it was assembled and flown back to Adelaide.
Bert had a setback at this point as he was required to have an eyesight test every 6 months which he failed.
At that time, Jim Mollison was instructing at the Parafield Aero Club and he was happy to be the pilot of the Junkers. Their mechanic was Tom Coakly a good bloke and great mechanic from the Australian Air Force at Point Cook.
They would fly to Wallaroo, then to Whyalla, Cowell, Port Lincoln, Elliston, Streaky Bay and then back along the same route to Parafield. This was done twice a week.
Bert had to sack larrikin Mollison because whenever he saw a shark down in the gulf he would DIVE down to get a closer look. You just could not do that with passengers on board. ( Mollison later married Amy Johnson, the first woman to fly from England to Australia. Amy lost her life ferrying planes in WW2.)
Orm Denny from Point Cook became the new pilot. One day the engine crankshaft snapped off just behind the prop and Denny had to make a forced landing in a paddock. The prop was found 8 miles away, and it had also cut a great hole in the port wing.
This event led to the plane being sold to Guinea Airways. It was in use until the Japs put a shell right through it in WW2.

Here are some photos of the Junkers arrival in 1929. One taken of the plane after the lost prop. A glossy Junkers book found in Packers trunk, and Albert Packer.
I will be posting more on the contents of Berts trunk later.